The Un-Official
Pirate Dictionary

A•hoy'

{interjection}

Synonym for "Yo!" Commonly followed by "matey"

Arg!

{interjection}

What pirates say while pillaging and plundering to show they are serious and this is not just a weekend thing.

boo'•ty

{noun}

Treasure, coins, paintings of homeless children with really big eyes. Pirates would amass a chest full and then rattle it around; hence the term, "shake one's booty."

buc•can•eer'

{noun}

Price of corn at fancy gourmet food store.

Gar!

{interjection}

Var. of "Arg!"

Jol'•ly Rog'•er

{proper
noun}

Generic name for the famous skull and crossbones flag. When feeling whimsical, Pirates would sometimes call it "the old flaggy waggy."

kra'•ken

{noun}

A large, tentacled sea monster of Pirate lore. Most historians believe the Kraken legend developed from sightings of giant squid. That most scientists believe this hogwash is a testament to the Kraken's savvy disinformation campaign.

land'•lub•ber

{noun}

Lover of land, or land-lover. Holding a knife between one's teeth for too long can create this speech impediment. Pirates call a hovercraft a "hubbercraft." To them cover girls are "cubber girls." Joke that takes it to the next humor plateau.

loot'•ing

{noun}

Kind of like window shopping, but all the windows are smashed to bits when you arrive.

mate'•y

{noun}

Assistant to the captain. As in, "Yes, this is the Captain's matey. May I tell the Captain what this is regarding?"

miz'•zen•mast

{noun}

The mast at the back of a ship. Since
these types of sails are actually sails which are (usually) permanently hoisted, saying "Hoist the mizzenmast" can be looked at as either a surprisingly poetic usage or as just plain wrong.

par•rot

{noun}

Intelligent, willful bird native to tropical regions and a favored companion of pirates. The bird's apparent power of speech is actually only mimicry. The bird has no idea what words mean, and it does not appreciate that words can sometimes hurt.

Pie'•ces of Eight

pro-{noun}

More than pieces of seven, less than pieces of nine.

pil'•lag•ing

verb

Kind of like looting, but the shopkeeper is watching from behind some hastily contrived shelter.

Shiv'•er me tim'•bers!

{interjection}

Some pirate heard this on TV and thought it sounded cool.

sea' dog

{noun}

An epithet originally derisive in usage, but lately appropriated as a badge of honor by advocates of pirate pride.

swab'•bie

{noun}

An affectionate term for the hapless crewmember charged with mopping, or "swabbing," the decks. This term of endearment is the only bright spot in the otherwise dreary and demeaning life.

walk'•ing the plank

{phrase}

Kind of like being on the diving team, but without the endorsement opportunities.